How You Changed Me
by dobbylovesmissweezy
Summary: You don't know how to feel about this, it wasn't what you would have expected, but that was okay. It didn't have to be. Bella/? Someone has been watching over Bella, but was it who she thought it would be?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I pretty much started writing this story on a whim, I don't even know were my inspiration for it came from. I know that the writing style is a little weird, but rest assured that by the end it will make sense. For now if you don't understand something, review, and I will explain it in the start of the next chapter. **

**Anyway if I get reviews of people saying that they like it, then I will continue. If not then…well I don't know. I might have to cry, (kidding).**

Disclaimer: I can only wish that I owned such greatness as Twilight. But alas I do not.

SOME ONE DIFFERENT

You watch as he turns and walks away, but what can you really say? Is there anything that you can say to make it any better? You don't think there is. Nothing can take that pain away, as you watch the flash of bronze and copper leave your line of vision.

The water that hits your nose gliding slowly down your face it a subtle reminder that you are not where you want to be, you are some place that is normally unwelcome by your pale skin and small body. The pain is not like it was the first time, you're stronger this time; you're not this same girl you were back then. You're different.

Not as naïve, not as slow, or as weak.

But that doesn't change the fact that it hurts somewhere deep in your chest, somewhere that used to have a strong _thunk, thunk _but know is just a dead spot in your chest. A place that you wished would have be filled, but never was.

The pain is strong, you must leave this place; you must get away.

Turning you flee, the only places that have ever felt safe to you before are now the only places you never want to see again. Would you ever be able to look at the house the same way again? How about the meadow? The little spot by the lake?

You run, but is running really enough? Will it take you away from the places you don't want to be? Somehow you don't think so. But never the less you will try, because that is who you are. You're stubborn and can't help but try to do things that may seem impossible. You have, and will always be like this I fear. Though this fear does not stop you from running. The wind hits your face, pulling at your hair. Your beautiful brown hair. At first glance it looks only plan brown, but up close you can see that it is not a mere brown, but yellow, blonde, red, bronze, and many more colors that I could never put a name to.

Twigs imbed themselves in your hair, forming a crown of sorts. It does not make you look like a princess however, though you will always be a princess to me. It makes you look wild, and nearly sinister. It makes you look like you belong in the forest, where the wild things are. You know that was your favorite book. Where the Wild Things Are. You just liked the pictures; you would have loved to live with the wild things. You would have made a home there; with the monsters.

You would have.

The rain has soaked you through long before now, and you know it. It is hard for you to tell, because you can not feel the ice cold of the water, but you can see it glancing off your chest, and dripping off the fabric of your clothing.

You find that looking back is impossible, I know that. You can't always have what you want, but did you really want that? To spend eternity tied down to _him_? Is that really what you wanted? You don't think so. Your head is whirling, you don't know what to think.

But then you stop, and realize. You may have just lost everything you lived for, but was there really no more living to be done? Did you really have to stop right then just because _he_ left again? Because he tired of you?

For some strange reason you didn't think so. You turn and look behind you, but all you see is trees. Perhaps that, back there, wasn't really what you wanted. Maybe you want something more? But what? Maybe you would live and see.

What could it hurt?

How about everything? But you don't think about that you just think about all the mischief you could get into. All the things you could do. _He _would never let you do anything fun, well that was all about to change. Perhaps you could have some fun? Again you think, what could it hurt?

If only you had known.

You turn to the east, turning from everything you have ever known, and head for the unknown. Maybe it would be better this way? Who knows, and you most certainly don't.

********

You sit in the room, the lights off, reading a book. In the last five days you have read sixteen book, all different. Like night and day. But you have found a sudden passion for books. They were good, you liked the way they sucked you in, made you believe you were someone else. Even if it was only for moments. You liked that, feeling like someone different. Whether it was good or sad, happy or bad, you didn't care you just craved the difference.

So your first mission in living life to the fullest? Buying a little shop in the little town you were living in, and what would you name it? For now you had not idea, but in the morning, when you had finished the current book you were reading, perhaps then you would know.

**So…Like it, Love it, Hate it? Let me know! Please. **


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: If you recognize it it's not mine!

A/N: No Bella is not going to fall in love with anyone for the first half of the story, so don't worry! This story is all about Bella finding herself. Review to tell me how you like it. Please.

Blue Twilight

**Blue Twilight.**

**You're not sure why you have chosen to name your store this, all you can think of is the one night you spent on the roof with Jasper as the sun went down. **

**You were reclining back, leaning on your elbows, chest thrust out. So blissfully unaware of how truly tempting you were. You had turned your head, to smile at Jasper. Who had smiled back. The last bit of light glinting off his teeth. A mischievous grin had lit up his face. The glitter had faded from his skin with the falling sun, and had left his skin a pale blue color. **

**His eye lashes had fluttered down, as he leaned in. You watched transfixed as they left jagged shadows along his cheek bones. **

"**How do you feel…" He said quietly, so close to your ear that you could feel his icy breath on your neck, and ear. It nearly burned with its coolness. "…about… reading?" **

**You felt a wide grin work its way up your face at that. For the longest time you had thought that Emmett was the only one in the family that could make jokes, but in the past few weeks you had learned that it was different with Jasper. His humor was quite, and soft. **

**You liked it. **

**Leaning in you could feel the soft tickle of his hair against your cheek, "How do you feel…" You started quietly looking at his perfect skin merely inches from your nose. "…about…" you stretched out the silence until you felt it was time and said, "Twilight?"**

**Jasper lightly chucked, he reclined back, and you followed, until you felt your back hit the rough surface behind you. **

"**I rather like it when it's blue. Don't you?" he asked quietly. **

**Yes his humor, was soft, quiet. Just like he was. **

"**Yes, I do Jasper, yes I do." **

**So the Blue Twilight was what you called your little book store. And though you knew nothing about selling book or, even helping people when they needed it. You tried your best. **

**For the first month or so it was slow, not many people came in. Just the once and awhile wonderer. **

**You would stand behind the counter looking out the window, smiling at people who walked by. You would wave at the little old lady with the dog, who walked by every day at three. Or you would walk up and down the isles looking at every book you had ordered. They all claimed to be good books, but why would no one buy any? **

**By the second month you started to get regulars. This makes you happy. You like talking to the new people that you have met. **

**In particular there is a boy, well he is more a man than a boy. But sometimes when he comes in he blushes like a boy. You get the feeling that he had never even read a whole book in his life before he set eyes on you. That doesn't matter to you, you are nice as ever to him. Helping, talking, and occasionally flirting. **

**It feels good to you. If it didn't you would do it. **

**Your head snaps up as the bell rings as Mrs. Mabel walks in. She was an old women, with a wrinkly face, and a scratchy voice, but she had some of the best stories. She was kind, and sometimes cranky. She was the perfect grandmother; always asking how you were, and when she would get to see your beau. Even though you had told her many, many times that you had not boyfriend or husband of any kind. It hurt to say those words, but you gritted against the pain and said them. **

**Mrs. Mabel did not have very good eye sight so every Monday she would come into the store and you would read to her. **

**Today was Monday. **

"**Good Afternoon, Mrs. Mabel," you say in a cheery voice, you don't have to pretend to be happy to see her, because you genuinely are. **

"**Hello child," she answers. **

"**What would you like to read today?" you ask quietly coming around to help her into the big comfy chair that she has sat in nearly every time she has come into your store. **

"**Why don't you pick today," she says kindly. You can tell by her tone of voice that she is in a good mood today. **

**You head off in direction of the shelves. You glide your finders along the books, watching as all of the colors flit past you. You are making a bee line for the romance section, because no matter how many times you try to read Mrs. Mabel something different she never lets you, and you always end up reading about something that makes your heart ache. **

**You always end up reading about warriors who dash into war to save their soul mates, or fierce men who protect and cherish what they have. No matter how many times you try to get Mrs. Mabel to let you read her something different she always refuses. She is a hopeless romantic, but you love her for it. **

"**You know…" her voice drifts back to where you stand trying to find a good book, "…I don't understand why a lovely young women like yourself is all alone." **

**For a moment your mind flashes back to that day a few months ago; your tongue seems to stick to the top of your mouth, and you don't know what to tell Mrs. Mabel. **

"**I just, just needed some time to myself was all." You lie. The truth was you just needed sometime away from anything that reminded you of **_**him. If you had needed time away from people, you would not have opened a book store, where you see people now everyday. **_

"_**Aha!" You yell pulling out a book you think Mrs. Mabel will like. Turning you nearly have a heart attack when you run into a boy, no a man, who blushes. **_

"_**Danny!" you exclaim pulling a hand over your un-beating heart. It he notices how hard your body was, he doesn't say anything. Merely blushes harder. **_

"_**I didn't mean to frighten you, Bella," he says. **_

_**You chuckle and are slightly baffled that he was able to surprise you like that. You must have been deep in thought. **_

_**Danny, you see is wearing a pair of tight blue pants, and a bright blue band t-shirt. His hair lays on his head a lighter shade than your own, in quiet disarray. You have spent many moments wondering if he does it on purpose or if it just lies that way. **_

"_**I'm looking for a new book," Danny says suddenly, and you smile. **_

_**You are glad to help him find a new book, he was a smart man. At first you had thought that he had not really been reading the books, but merely waiting for a day or two, then coming in to get a new on, so that he could talk to you. You started to talk to him about the books that he was reading, and soon found that he was reading them, and enjoying them also. **_

"_**Bella, dear, if you would like you can help Danny out before reading to me," Mrs. Mabel's voice sounded from the front. You have to stop myself from rolling your eyes, as if you need permission from Mrs. Mabel to help people in your own store. **_

"_**Thanks Mrs. Mabel!" you exclaim, turning back to Danny. **_

_**For a moment you concentrate on the delicate curve of his nose, and the bright blue of his eyes. You wish that your eyes could have been a better color, why not blue? Or green? Shaking off those thoughts you turn your attention back on the problem at hand, finding Danny a book. **_

"_**So you liked that last one then?" you ask politely. **_

_**A smile stretches over his face, and you can't help but smile back. The bright blue of his shirt glints, and makes you dizzy, or is that his smile. For a moment you are unsure, but find that to you it doesn't really matter, turning you look back at the books in front of you. Romance. **_

"_**Well I suppose you don't want to read a romance book?" you ask quietly. **_

"_**Not unless you can assure me that I won't fall asleep reading it," he joked. You laugh, and almost convince yourself that it's real. **_

"_**Can't promise that, so lets look somewhere else."**_

_**He simply laughs and follows you to the mystery section. The last book he read was a mystery, and he seemed to like it, so why not have him read another one?**_

_**Looking, you feel cool breath on your back, perhaps that backless shirt had not been such a good idea? Slowly you turn to see Danny close, so close. His baby blue eyes twinkle in the light. For a moment you don't know what to do, but as his face gets closer and closer, and your world is completely taken up by blue; you switch to auto and just feel. **_

_**At first his nose merely brushes yours, and you intake air quickly. You lie to yourself saying that it was not a gasp. No not at all. **_

_**But his breath on your face is like mint, and candy. Sweet and cool. **_

_**When his lips brush yours there are no sparks of love, only lust and passion. When his hands touch your back, spread fingers rubbing you don't feel the normal shock, just light chills. It would be wrong to kiss him back, you would be leading him on. But you don't care your lips move along with him, and when his tongue slides into your mouth you moan and push closer to him. **_

_**You have never felt like this, you know it's not love, but passion and fire. It's raw and lusty. It's not love, but maybe for now it's enough. For now it can fill that empty place in your chest. Maybe….maybe…. **_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**A/N: R/R! Hope you like it.**

**You gasp as his hands lightly trail up and down your leg, each time raising higher and higher. His hands are so warm against your cold skin, and not for the first time you wonder why Danny has said nothing about it. He should have, perhaps he had noticed, but was to embarrassed to say anything about it? **

**All thoughts flee your mind as his tongue takes the same trail his hands have just taken, but this time he doesn't stop. This time he buries his head in between your legs, and your head falls back, a groan fills the room, and you're amused when you realize it is your groan. Danny seem to find it amusing also, because he lifts his head, grinning like an idiot. **

"**Come up here you loser," you whisper. Watching in delight as he does just as you say, scooting so that he is laying on top of you. **

**His skin rubs on you, and you can't help the new groan that leaves your lips. He is so warm, and for a moment you think how lucky it is that you have just feed. He dips his head, and his lips brush down over your neck, and heat raises in every part of your body. For a moment you think back to an embarrassing conversation that you had with Emmett. **

"**Do you want to know the only time I'm ever warm Bella?" he asked looking over at her from his perch atop a tree branch. **

**And you being the little naïve girl that you were nod your head. **

"**The only time I'm ever warm anymore is when I'm inside Rosalie," he had told her grinning like an idiot. **

**Before you could even say anything, Rosalie had run from the house a large pan in her hand. The look on Emmett's face hand been priceless.**

**You have to stop yourself from laughing. You really don't want to explain this one to the naked man lying on top of you. But his lips on yours stops all train of thought. **

"**Mmmm," you hum. **

**You run your hands down his back, grip his bum, and then twist your hands back so that you can take hold of his throbbing erection. **

**It's your turn to giggle at Danny's throaty moan. **

"**What?" you ask innocently. But he sees right through it, and pulls you back up for a kiss. You move your hands squeezing him in your little hands. He groans into your mouth and bucks his hips into you. This causes the tip of his erection to rub your wet center. **

"**I want you so bad," Danny mumbles. You nod your head, pulling him to your center. **

"**I want you to," you tell him. **

**He lifts his head from your neck, and looks at you as if asking for permission, which is absurd. I mean, look at he position you both are in. **

**So you simply wrap your legs around his hips, digging your heals in lightly causing him to sink in to your body. **

"**Ughuuu…" you groan as he fills you. **

"**Jesus Bella, you're so tight," he groans out. You can tell that he is trying not to come in you right then, so instead of moving like you want to, you give him a moment. **

**Then he starts moving inside of you, and you think no more, you don't care that the neighbors can most likely hear your screams or that this is only the second person you have ever been with, you just feel. **

**************

**For the first time in years you wish that it was possible for you to sleep. You wish that you can snuggle into Danny's chest and sleep just like he was doing. But you haven't been able to sleep for so long, and you never will be able to. Not until you die. Which would be difficult to do, seeing as though you would have to be torn into pieces and then thrown in a fire. **

**So you settle for watching Danny sleep, his eye lashes cause dusty little shadow to cover his cheeks. They are sinfully long, and you wish that you had eye lashes like his. The strong set of his jaw was lessened with sleep. You wish that you would be able to love a man like him, but you didn't think that it would be possible no matter how much you tired. You just didn't love him. No matter how much you wanted to love him, he would be perfect for you, but it just must not have been meant to be. **

**Would it be so awful to fall in love again, you don't think so. You knew that it would be easier, maybe learn to live again. **

**Wait. Wasn't that what you were doing now? Living. A smile stretched over your face. Yes this was what living was all about, having fun. **

**Fun. **

**You could do that. So turning over you buried yourself into Danny's chest, and sighed lightly. Yes living you could do that. **

*************

**The next day at the store you were pleasantly surprised to see that your new shipment had bed delivered. You had been waiting for them to arrive so that your could move some of the books around. It had been almost a year since you had open the shop, and business was doing well. **

**You had regular customers that would come in anywhere from once a month to everyday. And you loved all of them, some had more of a place in your heart then others, but you loved them all the same. **

**You were starting to get slightly stir crazy though, and you feared that it would only get worse. You had thrown yourself into work, and that had gone so well for you. You have lots of money saved up, not to mention all of the money that Carlisle had transferred into your account when he found out about what Edward had done; you could leave at anytime, but did you want to? Was there really anything to hold you in this place? There were the people, little Mrs. Mabel and Danny. You loved them, but would that be enough to keep you there, you feel like it was time for you to leave. And maybe it was time for you to leave. **

**You put the new book up on the shelves, and then admire your handy work. Next you walk back to counter, stopping by to make sure no one needs help on your way. Then sit down and start to write. **

_**Dear Danny,**_

_**I know you have found a great love in the books here at 'Blue Twilight'. I am so very glad that I have been able to help you find that love of books. I don't know if you feel any love for me, but I love you. It is not that love that you deserve to have, Danny. It is selfish love, and I understand if you can never forgive me for what I am about to do. I am leaving Danny. I will not be coming back. I owe you more than I can possibly give you, but that is why I must try. So here goes: I am leaving the book store to you. You may do what you choose with it. If you wish, if you never want to even look at it again, you make have it torn down. I wish you wouldn't, but it is yours now. Do what you wish with it. I want you to know, that I will never forget you, but my time here has always been limited, and I knew this from the beginning. I knew that it would only be a matter of time before I would get restless and want a change. So it is with a heavy heart that I must say goodbye to you. By the time you are reading this, I will already be gone, so don't come looking for me. **_

_**Love always,**_

_**Bella **_

**For a moment you considered tearing the letter up and throwing it in the bin, but you feel that it is time to move on, and no matter how many times you have thought about staying here forever, you know that it is impossible. This is not where you belong. **

**So with a heavy heart, you walk to where Mrs. Mabel is sitting in her usual chair. **

"**Hello, Mrs. Mabel," you say to her.**

"**Oh good morning dear, are you head somewhere?" she asks you when she sees the purse handing off of your arm. You look down for a moment not sure what you want to say to her. You had decided a long time ago that this get away would be to show you that you could live, and that's what you were doing. It was time to find the next adventure. You have life times to find yourself. So with your heart in your stomach you looked back up at Mrs. Mabel.**

"**Actually I'm leaving Mrs. Mabel."**

"**Well then, I'll have to hold down the fort while you're gone, won't I?"**

**You shake your head quietly. "No, I'm not coming back. Will you give this to Danny when he gets here? I'm leaving him the book shop?"**

**The look in Mrs. Mabel's eyes tells you that she knew all along that you were not coming back. She just wanted to see if you had the guts to tell her. A smile creeps across her face, and you wonder if she hasn't known for a while that you had been restless. **

"**Of course I will give his your letter. You really helped that boy you know; showed him the way, so too speak."**

**For a moment you are speechless. What did she mean?**

"**He was a little lost before you came here, but yesterday I heard from his mother that he has decided to apply to some colleges to see if he can get in. And he has never been a reader until you came, but I can tell just by talking to him, that you have made him grow up in ways that I don't think anyone else could have," Mrs. Mabel tells you patting your hand. "But don't think that I am trying to get you to stay here, not at all. I think if you want to leave, it will be good for you. For a long time now I have watched you get antsy. So go, go and live girl!" Mrs. Mabel proclaimed. **

**You smile at her kindly handing her Danny's letter, hugging her you realize that it was not only Danny who had been changed, but yourself as well. You had learned how to help people; how to show compassion. For the first time in a long time you were proud of yourself. And you were ready to see what else you could do. **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

You made it, you left.

You settled in a little house on the coast of Maine. You are only about two minutes from the Gulf of Maine. It's beautiful, but different. It rained, not as much as Forks, which made it hard for you to go out sometimes, but in the end you found it just to your liking, or as close as you could get without going home.

Wrapped up in a light blue sweater and tight fitting jeans. The wind was blowing, causing your hair to scatter over your face. Sighing you brushed it back. It was only about 45 degrees outside, and that was how you like it. You didn't like it when it was sunny; not anymore. Next, you think that it would be best to buy a house somewhere more secluded where you can hide out when it's sunny, but still be able to go out in the sun.

You sigh again pushing the hair out of your face again.

The wind feels good on your face, and your glad you decided to go for a walk this morning. For the last few days you have stayed inside, trying to tell yourself that it was the best decision to leave your last home. In the end you knew that it was. It would have been much harder if you had stayed until you absolutely had to leave. When people started noticing that you were not aging you would have had to leave. It would have been much harder then.

Something small suddenly rammed into your legs.

Looking down you see a little boy blinking up at you with wide green eyes. Tears gather in those eyes and you sigh, bending down you sit down next to the little boy in the sand.

Silently you brush off the little tears that have fallen from his eyes, and then you touch his nose lightly.

"There, see nothings hurt is it?" You ask kindly.

"No…I don't think so…" the little boy tells you.

"That's good. What's you name." You know that you should really just leave, there is no need to try and talk to the little boy.

"I'm Wren," the little boy tells you. He looks at you with wide, trusting eyes. Suddenly you understand why Rosalie wanted children so badly. They were so trusting, so naïve. They were beautiful, she suddenly felt the lose of not being able to have children.

"I'm Bella. Where are you parents?" You ask, trying to blink back the stinging in your eyes. You know that it is impossible for you to cry, but the feeling is quite uncomfortable.

"They never come down on the beach with me," the little boy tells you.

You blink at that.

"How old are you?"

"Five," the boy tells you.

His blonde hair falls into his eyes, and you sweep it out of the way. He was alone? Here? On the beach? Why would his parents let such a precious little gift wander on the beach alone?

You don't know what to say next.

So standing you pull the little boy up and set him on your hip, you walk him to where there is no chance that he will get into the water, and tell him that he needs to be extra safe.

From then on you vow to keep an eye on him when you can.

*********

Two weeks ago you started working the late shift at a little dinner, Kino's, down the street from your house.

Luckily your shift starts after it is already dark, so there is no chance of being seen in the sun. You have met some new people, and are keeping up appearances of the normal young women living on her own.

And during those two weeks everyday that it was not sunny, you had gone to the beach and watch over Wren. On the days when he had seen you he would run up to you with a great big smile, throwing his arms around your cold legs. His little body would heat you for a moment, before he would let go. Sometimes he would grab your hand and pull you to see something he had found, or he would continue to play.

While you liked those days when he would spot you; you also liked the days when he didn't notice you. You would watch from afar as he played in the sand. You would watch with a sadness that was new found. It was something you had not experienced before. It was an aching hurt, nearly worse than the one Edward left in your heart. It was the ache you felt for something you had lost, but never had. Something you were never able to experience, even if you never wanted it before, you wanted it now.

So you watched over Wren, always making sure he was alright. Children's lives were fragile, and you knew that.

So that night as you got ready for work you thought about a large bruise you had seen on Wren's back, it had been large, and you had been afraid to ask him where it had come from. You didn't know which you were more afraid of, him lying to you about it, or him telling you the truth.

Hiking up the knee high boats you were wearing you pulling out your phone to check your messages. You knew there would most likely be none. It had been that way since you had left home about eight months ago. But you could not help from checking, you knew that if something serious happened that your family would call you.

So putting your phone back into your purse you head for the door. You had a shorter shift tonight than normal, because Lu your boss was going away for a week. She had decided to close the dinner while she was gone, rather than let others run it for her. You think that her 'family emergency' might be her son who was in some trouble with his job. Though you don't know for sure, and don't want to pry, but it's not your fault that you have stronger hearing than anyone around suspects you of having.

"Good evening, Brenda," you say softly entering the back and greeting one of the other waitresses that is working with you tonight.

Brenda flips her blonde curls and looks over at you smiling, "Howdy, Bella!"

Her cheer makes you smile.

"We're a little crowded tonight, it's like they all knew that we were closing down for a while," Brenda told her filling up a few more glasses, and setting them on a tray.

"No doubt they do. How much do you want to bet that Anna told some people?" You ask lightly clipping on your name tag, and setting down your purse.

"Hmm…no doubt that's true," Brenda said walking slowly under the weight of all the soda glasses. You sigh hoping that Brenda will not fall as she walks away into the front of the dinner.

You greet the chef Jean-Luc, not his real name, and find your way to your fist table of the night.

You flirt your way through the night, and are quite happy with the results. Once more you remind yourself that you don't need to make any money if you don't want to, because Carlisle has put enough money in your account that you could live for years with out having to make any. But you just don't feel right spending his money, unless you have to. Plus you like talking with all the people, hearing all the new gossip, and making people happy.

So exiting the door, you welcome the slight breeze that blows through the air. It ruffles your hair, and makes you feel a small pang in your chest. You miss Forks dearly, but you understand that Forks right now, is impossible. Even if you do go back to live with the Cullen's, because they are not living in Forks, and will not be able to for a long time.

Turning the corner it's only a blocks walk to your house.

*********

A month passed and you continued as you did before, watching after Wren, and working. On days when it was sunny and you couldn't go outside, you would sit at home with a good book. Already you had re-read most of the classic that you liked. And had started on reading some new age writing that you found intriguing.

The only thing was that Wren had started asking questions. He reminded you so much of yourself when you were trying to figure Edward out, that you wanted so much to just tell the little boy. His questions made you realize, no matter how much it hurt, that you would have to move on soon. You could not risk the little boy finding out what you were.

So with that daunting realization in your mind you tried to think of the next place you could go.

********

Two more months passed, you could not bring yourself to leave. Wren was getting closer and closer to the truth. He had promised over and over again that he would never tell anyone, but you knew that five year olds had a hard time keeping secrets.

Exiting the house on a cloudy day you walk slowly to the beach, yesterday you had seen a new bruise on Wren's back, and today you were going to swallow your fears and talk to him. You would ask him what had happened. So pulling your shirt closer to your body you landed lightly on the beach ready to face what ever would happen. And for the sake of his parents you hoped to God that it had not been their fault.

When the familiar warmth clung to your legs for longer then normal, you were startled and infuriated to see the large purple bruise across Wren's face. Gasping you bent down until you were level with him.

Again the fear of knowing what happened to the boy stopped you for a moment from asking him what had happened. And in that moment you noticed something you wished that you hadn't. Snapping your head up, you look around to see where it is.

Standing about a hundred yards from you, is a vampire. And you know the look on his face well. It was the same look you had received from James all those years ago.

Only this time it was directed at Wren. He must be a tracker, and by the look on his face when he saw that you were a vampire too, told her all she needed to know. She needed to get Wren away from here, and fast. As fast as she could.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

_**You grab Wren up in your arms, and turned to walk as quickly as you can without causing a scene, toward your house. **_

_**Wren squeals thinking it was a game; he bounces up and down on you hip. You smile and nod when he points to things. He seems comfortable with you even though he must feel the coldness of your skin. And he does not flinch when you hold him closer, he merely burrows deeper into you. **_

_**When you reach the house, you are scared to put him down for even a moment. So instead you carried him with you as you run to the phone, you dial Brenda's number and tell her that you had a family emergency, and you don't know when you would be back. **_

_**She tells you not to worry and that she will tell Lu what happened. You thank her and hang up. **_

"_**Okay, Wren," you start when you set him down lightly on the corner of the bed. "tell me where you got that bruise on your face." **_

_**He looks scared for a moment. Then says, "are you going to be mad too? I don't like it when people are mad." **_

_**You suddenly had a flash back of the last four months, and you realize that not once has Wren disagreed with you. Not once has he said anything that could, or would make you made. He was trying not to make you mad, even now.**_

"_**Sweetie, who gets mad at you?" you ask softly brushing his hair back. And you notice the slight flinch that racks his body when your hand touches him. "I'm not mad at you, just tell me who gets mad at you?" **_

"_**My-my daddy. He says that I'm the reason mommy left," Wren whispers. **_

"_**Does your daddy touch you?" you whisper. **_

_**You watch as tears gather in his wide eyes. "Yes…" he whispers back. **_

"_**Does he hurt you?" **_

"…_**yes…" **_

_**You blink your eyes hard. This had been the thing that you had been afraid of. The thing you had avoided, because this gave you a reason to take the little boy with you when you left. Damn wrong or right. You would do what you wanted this time. And this, this just meant that you would be saving the boy from his father. Not to mention the vampire that was out to get him. **_

_**So hugging Wren you whisper, "I'm going to take you away from here okay?" **_

_**He sniffs and nods his head. "Will you be my new mommy?" **_

_**You freeze and don't know what you say to him for a moment. For that last four months you had wished for him to think of you as his mother, but now that he was asking you don't know what you say. **_

"_**Only if you want." **_

_***********_

_**So far everything was okay, there had been no sightings of the vampire from the beach and you were fast on your way. **_

_**Looking in the rearview mirror you could see Wren who is sleeping softly. He looked like an angel, and you know that you have to keep him safe, no matter what. So taking a deep breath you do something you didn't think you would do for at least another year or so. **_

_**It had only been about a year since you had left and you don't feel like it was time yet, but for Wren you needed to. You know that it would be too hard for you to kill the vampire and keep Wren safe if he came after him. **_

_**You pick up your cell phone and hit three on your speed dial. **_

"_**Bella?" asks a gruff voice from the other line. **_

"_**Hello Emmett," you say. **_

_**You didn't realize how much you had missed the family. **_

"_**Do you need something Bella? I haven't heard from you in a year now," Emmett said. In truth she hadn't talked to any of the Cullen's in all of the time she had been gone. She knew that they must have been worried about her. **_

"_**I do need something, I need a really big favor. I need you to met me somewhere. Just you Emmett. Can you do that?" you ask him quietly. **_

"_**Of course I can Bella, but can you tell me why?" he asks. **_

"_**All you need to know is that if everything goes as I think it will, you will get to kick some major ass."**_

"_**Wow, Bells you have grown up in the last year. You never used to swear before." **_

_**You laugh softly, and it feels good. God, you miss him. **_

_**You talk for a little while longer, before giving him the address to the hotel you are going to met him at, and then you hang up. **_

_**Sighing you settle in for a long drive. **_

_***********_

"_**Are you hungry, monster?" you ask quietly of the little boy sitting in the back seat. He has been awake for about an hour, and boy, is he a little chatter box.**_

"_**Yes! Yes!" **_

_**You laugh lightly at his enthusiasm. **_

"_**Okay, but after that we have to stop and buy you some clothing," you tell him. Laughing again as his face falls. **_

_**Someone's not a shopper.**_** You think. **_**Alice will not be pleased. **_**This makes you start suddenly, since when were you planning on letting the family around Wren? You were going to keep him safe from the vampire following you, and then you were going to let him grow up as normally as possible. Though you can only imagine how impossible that will be. **

**About fifteen minutes later, you pull into a spot in the mall and put the car in park. You turn in your seat to look back at Wren. Opening your door, you walk around to open his. "Ok, monster, what do you want to eat?" **

"**We're eatin` out?" he asks quietly.**

**His big shinny eyes, look up at you with hope.**

_**Has he never eaten out before?**_

"_**Daddy never takes me out to eat," Wren tells you. **_

_**Bending down, you brush his light blonde hair out of his face, and look into his eye. "You just tell me when you want anything, okay?" You know this is a little over the top, because that are a lot of things you will never let him do, but you always want him to ask for what he wants. **_

"_**Mhmm" he hums. **_

_**You take that as answer enough, and let him wrap his arms around your neck. It's lucky that you have extra strength, because though he is little, it would be very difficult after so long to carry him. **_

_**When you find something in the food court that he seems to want, you buy him what he wants and then wait for him to finish eating. Luckily he has taken a break in asking you why you aren't eating. Though you know that it is only because he is hungry and is not taking his eyes off of the hot dog in front of him. **_

_**Judging by the amount of food that he is consuming, you can tell that his teen years are going to be hard. **_

_**When he's done eating you cart him along with you to buy him some clothing. When you walk by a salon you think for a bit about dying his hair, but with the money that you and the family have, you can easily forge papers for him. You just have to change his last name. Plus you aren't going to be going back to Maine. You don't want there to be any chance at all that Wren's father would see him. You don't want Wren back in that house where he is being abused. **_

"_**Okay, monster, how do you like these?" **_

_**He looks at them with a bored look, and nods his head. **_

_**You had already found his size thankfully so you didn't have to have him try on anymore cloths. So pulling from the fashion tips you have gotten over the years from Alice, you pick out what you think will look good on him. You can always buy more clothing later, you tell yourself. **_

_**So talking Wren by the hand, and all of the clothing in the other arm, you head to pay for it. **_

_***********_

"_**Are we almost there?" Wren asked from the back seat. **_

"_**Yes, we only have about an hour until we get to the hotel," you tell him. **_

_**Secretly you are just as excited to get there as he is. It had been a really long drive to Minnesota; even though you had sped the whole way there. **_

_**After a few minutes that car grew quiet and when you looked back to the back seat you notice that Wren had fallen asleep. Smiling to yourself, you turn back to the road, you sigh. In less than an hour you would be with Emmett, and he would help you. Wren would be safe as soon as Emmett helped you kill the vampire that you knew was after Wren. You had seen him again at the mall. **_


	6. Chapter 6

**Wow It's been a long time! Well as always I do love to get reviews. So if you are reading this, I would love to get a review. And also I hope you enjoy!**

You pull into the hotel. It was a nice hotel; one you know will be full of people. You hope that it will deter the vampire from trying to get at Wren in the hotel. It is brightly lit on the outside, and as you step out of your car, you notice the large jeep two spots down and realize that Emmett is already there. Which you nearly slap yourself for not thinking of that, because they lived in Northern Minnesota. He had simply had to drive down from where they were living, where as she had had to drive all the way from Maine.

Sighing, you look around you at the small city that you have chosen to meet Emmett in. It was right on the boarder of Minnesota and Wisconsin. A small, but populated city called La Crosse. You ideally wonder if it is named after the game of the French word, as you walk around the car to get Wren. He's still sleeping away, and you're glad, because you don't think that he's gotten enough sleep over the last few months that you've been around. Calling his name softly, you nudge him gently. He rouses slowly from sleep, blinking blearily up at you. His little fist is brushing his eyes as you watched with a little smile.

A noise behind you makes you suddenly remember the danger that you and he are in. Unbuckling him quickly you leave the clothing in the car and head straight for the doors. Still yawing and blinking the sleep out of his eyes, Wren is firmly on your hip.

The man at the counter smiles kindly at you as you get closer.

"May I help you," he says softly.

You smile back, not showing your teeth, because you have learned long ago that in doing so it often makes humans feel uncomfortable.

"I have a room, it's under the name Cullen," you say sweetly.

His fingers fly over the keys for a moment, before he seems to find what he is looking for. A brief look of disappointment covers his face, before he covers it up with a smile. You wonder what that was about, but soon find out when he opens his mouth and speaks.

"Your husband had already cheeked in, and is waiting for you in room 312," the man tells you.

You don't bother correcting him, because you are starting to get a strange feeling like you are being watched, and don't want to hang around any long. You smile and grab the key he holds out to you. A few more words are exchanged then you turn and head to your room. Over your shoulder you feel Wren wave good bye to the man.

You make fast work of the stairs, and are standing in front of the door before you really want to be. You are excited to be seeing Emmett after so long, as he is one of only two brothers that you have, but at the same time you are nervous and anxious.

"Mommy?" Wren asks from your arms.

In shock you turn your head to look at him. The sound of his little voice zings through you and you wonder if he really said it at all.

"Mommy?" he repeats.

You feel a goofy smile fall on your face, "What, monster?" you ask him.

"Are we going to go in?" he whispers. You look back at the door, but before you can answer him it is flung open.

A grinning Emmett stands on the other side of the door. You laugh at his bewildered look as he searches your eyes, then looks at Wren. His large eyes look back and forth, before he seems to decide that it doesn't matter. He grabs you and Wren before you even realize what is happening and pulls you into a hug.

When he finally pulls away you realize that he had successfully pulled you into the room, and closed the door behind you. And the moment you realize this, you feel the safest you have felt in nearly two days.

"Is he really your husband?" Wren whispers in your ear suddenly.

You laugh, and next to you Emmett lets out a booming laugh. "No of course not, the man at the front desk didn't know what he was talking about," you tell him.

"Oh," he murmurs.

Emmett is watching the exchanged with humor in his eyes, but there is also confusion and you know that he needs to know what is going on. You send him a look that you hope he can convey the message of. We'll talk when he goes to bed.

You, Emmett, and Wren make a trip down to your car to get the bags, and when you get there you can smell the vampire on your car. You can tell the moment that Emmitt smells it also. He sends you a look and you shake your head back, telling him that you don't know the vampire who was near your car.

After taking the bags up to your room, giving Wren a bath and putting him to bed, it is still an hour before he gets to sleep. He has started calling Emmett, Uncle Em, and is still calling you mommy. You have no intention of telling him to stop, but every time he does Emmitt throws you a look that you understand to mean he wants answers.

"Okay," Emmett said when Wren finally succumbed to sleep, "Tell uncle Em what happened."

You laugh quietly at the slight joke that Emmett has made.

You tell him of what has happened in the last few months. About meeting Wren on the beach and then about your suspicions when you saw the bruises, and then you tell him about the vampire and Wren confirming your suspicions. You tell him that you recognized the vampires scent and that it had been following you and Wren; that you had seen him in the mall when you had stopped to buy Wren some clothing.

He listened to this, and was pacing the floor by the time she had finished.

"To think a father would do something like that, it's unthinkable. Could you imagine how upset Rose will be when she hears about this?" Emmett asked. He was keeping his voice low, and you knew it was only because Wren was sleeping, if he had not been you were sure Emmett would be yelling.

"You have to come home," Emmett says suddenly. Your head comes up fast, so fast that if you had been human you were sure you would have a bad case of whiplash.

"I don't know if I'm ready to come home," you say. The minute the words our out of your mouth you realized how much of a lie they really are. You ache to go home, to see Esme and Carlisle again. To sit with Jasper on the roof and shop with Alice. Hell you even missed you occasional conversation with Rosalie. But you were not ready to see Edward again.

Emmett seemed to read all of this on your face. He walked closer to you, grabbing your hand and bringing it up to his lips. He dropped a small kiss there then sat down next to you, the bed bending with his weight. "Edward's not there," he murmured not looking at you.

At this you brush your hair back, and think for a moment. Would it really be so bad to head home? It was no Forks, but you would be with your family again. They had been your only family for the last twenty year of being a vampire.

"You have to come home," Emmett said again, as if he knew that all you needed was a small push and you would agree.

"I think that would be best," you amended. And the moment the words left your tongue you knew them to be true.

At this Emmett started to bounce slightly on the bed. "Oh everyone will be so happy. It's been miserable without you around…"

Even as he continues to talk about it, you don't understand how it can be true. How can you leaving have affected the family so much? You were only there for a little more than twenty years, but they had lived without you for so much longer.

But the way Emmett talked made you realized that it was true; the whole family had missed her, and did want her home. Well almost the whole family. Edward and Rose didn't seem to miss her.

"…and even Rose had confided in me from time to time that she misses you. I think you grew on her. I knew you would. You're just so loveable and, and, you know awesome."

That made you laugh. If even Rose had missed you, then, then, well you were glad that you were going to go home then.

*********

The next morning you took of bright and early from the hotel on your way to the Cullen's new residence in Northern Minnesota. It was secluded and in the middle of nothing but woods. They had been living there for five years now and they were going to stay for five more years according to what Emmett was telling her. None of the family was working apparently, but it was not like they needed to.


	7. Chapter 7

The drive would have been quite, but with Emmett and Wren (who had awoken about an hour into the drive) you knew that quite was a hopeless goal that you had set of the ride. It was about a nine hour drive, but the way that Emmett drove, you knew it would be more like seven.

"So kid how old are you anyway?" Emmett asked, turning nearly all the way around in his seat, to look at the boy.

You roll your eyes, and would have yelled at him if you did not trust his vampire reflexes as much as your own.

"Five!" Wren says, holding up five fingers.

"You're a smart kid," Emmett told him, turning back to face the road.

You listened to the two of them talk for most of the next hour. It was not as if you could sleep anyway, so you don't mind the chatter. And it's not as if you want to deprive the child of having companionship, after all this is probably the most he has talked to anyone. If his mother really left, and his father had been hitting him, which you knew to be true, then he had most likely been lacking in the social department of growing up. You knew that taking him home might be hard on him, but judging by the way he was getting along so well with Emmett, you thought he would do just fine. He was a smart child, and he knew just how to charm people.

After all he had charmed you, and was now charming Emmett quite nicely. Her brother had already agreed to by him a bike and had told him of the game systems in the game room, that he didn't even let you touch.

The sound of Wren's voice calling you, brought you back to the present, and away from any fears of the future you may have been having.

"Yes, monster?" You asked, turning to look at him.

He's sitting in the middle seat, leaned forward as much as possible, and his eyes are large and searching.

"Can I?"

At once you realize that you must have been more out of it than you had originally though, because you don't remember him asking a question.

"What do you want to do, Wren?" you ask him. You remember that not very long ago, you had told him that all he had to do was ask… you hope that he's not going to ask for something that you can't give him.

"Can I live with your forever?" He asked quietly.

You turn sharply to look at Emmett, he must have said something, but from his innocent face, you're not sure what. You turn back to Wren with a smile, that you know is slightly forced and try to think of the best way to answer his question. You don't want to promise him forever, when he does not know that for you, forever really could mean forever.

"Forever is a very long time for me," you tell him, "but we'll just have to see, okay?"

He seems to except this, and then starts a conversation with Emmett about having a family.

"What's it like? Having a nice family?" his voice was small, as if even as he asked he was trying to imagine it.

You answer instead of letting Emmett take this one.

"It's the best feeling in the world. There's so much love in the house, it's bursting at the seams. And we'll be there soon, and you'll understand. Everyone is going to love you so much. Esme, she said on the phone you could call her grandma if you wanted, is setting you up a room right now. And Carlisle-" Emmett cut you off there a large grin on his face.

"You should call him grandpa, he'll love it!" Emmett boomed. Wren laughed from the backseat, and you just rolled your eyes. "And your Aunt Rose is going to buy you anything you want, and I know she'll love you so much."

"And Aunt Alice is going to take you shopping," you throw in, loving the way that Wren's little nose crinkles at the mention of shopping.

"And Uncle Jasper and I will teach you how to play baseball, but most of all, you'll be so loved, you won't know what to do with all of it," Emmett ended.

You felt this was a good ending point, because Wren had lapsed into a dazed silence. He slowly turned his head to look out the window, a slight smile on his face. You thought he must be imagining what it would be like living in a house where everyone loved you. You wondered if five was too young you to know if someone loved you. You thought not. He knew. He knew that his father had not loved him. Children knew things like that.

After ten minutes of silence from the back seat you turned around to see Wren had fallen asleep, a slight smile on his face.

"We'll be there in a few hours," Emmett said from your left, startling you slightly.

"Do you think that guy will get my car there safely?" you ask.

"If he wants the rest of the money, he'll get it there with not a single scratch on it," Emmett snorted.

Emmett had paid the man in the room next to us a very large sum of money to drive the car all the way to the house in Northern Minnesota. If the car arrived unharmed, then Emmett would give him another large sum of money, and pay for the taxi ride home. Emmett had not wanted to split up. You knew that he had fallen in love with Wren already, and would not want any harm to befall the child.

Sighing, you rested your head on the window. It was dark, and the night would be chilly, if she could still feel it. You had stolen the blanket of the bed in the hotel room and Wren was wrapped in it in the back seat. He looked pleasantly warm and peaceful.

"We really did miss you," Emmett murmured.

He was speaking low enough that he would not wake Wren, so you followed his example and spoke quietly too.

"I miss you too, all of you. The whole family, but I needed some time," you tell him.

"And we understood that, but I speak for everyone back home, when I say that it will be good to have you home. Your room was awfully empty."

"I miss my room," you whisper.

"It misses you," Emmett jokes. "So what have you been up to, besides saving helpless children?"

This made you smile. You had missed Emmett's sense of humor.

"Well, I opened a book store," you tell him.

"No kidding! I knew you liked books, Bella, but a book store?"

You laugh at the way he seems genuinely shocked that you had opened a book store.

"Yeah, I named it the Blue Twilight. It was amazing. I might open one the next time we move into a populated area. I miss it actually. I wonder if Danny is running it?" You wonder aloud. Perhaps you should check in someday from afar?

"Danny?" Emmett says, there is a teasing note in his voice, and you know it would be best just to tell the truth.

"He was a boy, no man. Well he was barely a man, but a man all the same. I left him the book store," you explain.

"Danny, you say? Were you lovers?"

You pause to think about it. The way he said it, there was no teasing in his voice. It was a straight forward question, and it makes you pause for a moment. Were you lovers? Had they been lovers? She supposed that they had been.

"Yes, I suppose we were," you murmured.

He stopped asking questions about Danny after that. Perhaps he had heard the slight pain in your voice, or the little hitch. But either way, you were glad that he had dropped it.


	8. Chapter 8

The house loomed before you, and you were suddenly so happy to be back. You stepped from the car and inhaled the familiar scent. You can smell Esme, Carlisle, Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie all in the air around you. And if you search enough you can smell trace amounts of Edward's scent also, but you don't think about that. Turning to go to take Wren out of the car, but Emmett already has him, and is walking toward you.

You realized in that moment that he looks so normal with a child in his arms, and you wonder if he ever thinks about having children as you have before taking Wren away from his father. You marvel at the way he holds that child so sweetly in his large arms. Arms that could crush the child without a second thought.

Turning you see Rose standing on the porch, behind her the rest of the family is watching the scene also. Emmett hands you Wren, and turns to grab the rest of your bags. Wren sighs and wiggles slightly in your arms. He nestles his head into the cool crook of your neck. Briefly you wonder how he can stand your skin. It must be so cold to him.

"Bella," you look up from the top of Wren's head to see someone you would not expect standing right in front of you. Even in the many years you had lived under the same roof, she had not warmed up to you the way you would have liked. You had short conversations sometimes, but you would not call yourselves friends. "I'm glad you're home," she whispered quietly.

It took you a moment to collect your thoughts. "I'm glad to be home too," you whispered back.

"Who is this?" she asks, gazing lovingly at the child. You can tell that she is in love with him already. And from the lack of shopping that Rose does, you know that Rose will be Wren's favorite aunt.

On your shoulder Wren starts to squirm slightly, his small hand lifting to rub at his eyes. Rose watches with a smile on her face. From behind her you see Emmett watching with his own smile. Behind him you can see the rest of the family walking over at a human pace.

Wren's arms tighten around your neck and you know that he is awake, because his heart speeds up and he is fidgeting slightly now.

You realize suddenly that you have not answered Rosalie's question yet.

"This is Wren," you tell the whole family.

Wren lifts his head, to look around at the people all grouped around him. His eyes find Emmett immediately and he smiles. Emmett waves and wraps an arm around Rose, who is still watching the child. You walk forward a little bit so that he is closer to the people around you.

"This is your grandma Esme, and grandpa Carlisle," you tell him. As you point to them he waves, but then hides his face in your neck again. You've never known him to be shy, but you suppose that you have never seen him around so many people. "This is your aunt Rose." He looks up to see who you're pointing at and laughs.

You try not to laugh also, because Emmett is making funny faces from his spot at Rosalie's side. She turns to him and gives him a nice slap in the stomach. He doubles over for a moment, though you're sure that it's only for show. Wren laughs harder at this, and Rose seems pleased. He holds out his hand to her, and she reaches for it to shake.

He jerks back suddenly and a hurt look crosses Rose's face. "Your hand is cold like my mommy's and uncle Em's hands," he says looking up at you. You smile and shrug. You're used to seeing the calculating look in his eye, and they way his brows pucker as he tries to figure it out.

"Who does he remind you of?" Alice asked Jasper, speaking for the first time.

Before Jasper could answer, Emmett beat him to it. "He looks just like Bella did when she was trying to figure out Edward," he boomed.

Wren's eyes shot to him, the calculating look never leaving. As he got older you knew that he would figure it out. He was a very smart child. "We could home school him," Esme said suddenly.

"Yes, I was planning on that," you tell her with a small smile.

You see Alice positively bouncing behind Carlisle, and decide that you've kept her waiting long enough.

"Come here Alice," you say. She comes bounding at you, only go slow enough so as not to alarm Wren. She grips your waist under Wren's legs and grips you tightly. You're glad that she did not grab onto Wren, because he would have been crushed.

"And this," you started when she had let go of you, "Is your aunt Alice, and behind her is your other uncle, uncle Jasper."

Wren seems slightly less shy now that he has figured out that everyone here is so nice, and reaches out to hug Alice who is still standing close. You laugh and pull Jasper into a large group hug with Wren in the middle.

You pull away when you feel Wren shiver slightly. "Let's go inside, shall we?" Esme said. You could see the smile that lit her face as she watched her children interact. She had missed you, and you knew it. That was one of the many reasons that would make living hard, if you choose to. But for now you were completely satisfied to stay here were your family was.

The sun had started to come up, and the house would soon fill with sunshine you knew. That was one of the reasons that your family had chosen this house. It was a lot like the house that they had lived in when they were in Forks. It was mostly window, hardly any wall. They were so isolated that it was so much more safe than their house in Forks to walk around in the day light, but today it might not be a good thing. If Wren was to see the whole family shinning and shimmering, you had no doubt that he would be even more curious. At five he would not be able to figure it out by himself, but he reminded you so much of yourself. You needed to tell him. Fortunately Esme was thinking along the same lines as you were, and closed the blinds to the wall on the east side of the house with a push of a button.

You all move into the living room as Emmett takes your stuff and Wren's stuff up to your old room and his new room. You sit down on the couch in the empty spot Rose has left for you. Normally that empty spot would have been taken by Emmett, but Rose had motioned for you to sit there.

You set Wren down on the ground, so that he can explore if he wants to, but the moment his feet hit the floor he's flying the direction that Emmett has just taken.

"He's rather fond of Emmett," you tell the family turning back to them. Esme and Carlisle are sitting hand and hand on the love seat across from you. Alice is sitting in Jasper's lap in one of the over sized chairs in the room, and next to you Rosalie is sitting quietly. They are all apparently waiting for you to start.

You look back at Esme and Carlisle, and spring to your feet. They both envelop you in their arms, and hold you close.

"I missed you," you whisper, and it's the truth.

"We miss you too, dear, so much," Esme says. Carlisle nods his head. "It was not the same without you here," he tells you.

You pull back slightly and kiss them both on the cheek. Turning to rush at Alice and Jasper again.

"How could I have left?" you nearly whimper as both curl you close also.

"You needed time," Jasper said, softly. You smile, knowing he was right, he was always right when it came to emotional things.

"But now that your back, we need to go shopping! I know for a fact that you barely touched all the money that Carlisle sent you. That means that you did not go shopping!" Alice as clapping her hands, and looking for all the world like a five year old that had been told Santa was coming tonight.

"We'll see," you say, smiling at her.

Jasper laughed at me, because he knew just as well as you did that there was no way you were going to get out of shopping. You hugged Alice again, and kissed Jasper on the cheek as Alice clutched at you.

You turned to the only person left in the room, and found that her arms were open. Gaping slightly you walked to her side and sat on the couch next to her. Slowly to leaned into her chest, so that she was hugging you tightly.

"I missed you too, Bella," she whispered. "I guess you don't really know how much until they're not there, huh?"

You pulled back to look at her and smiled. "I missed you too, Rose."

Suddenly there was a racket from upstairs, and then crashing footfalls on the steps. Emmett came zooming into the room, luckily at human speed with a laughing Wren on his shoulders. You all laughed at the way Emmet had to duck while coming through all the door ways so that Wren would not be conked in the head. He came to a screeching halt right in front of you, and drops Wren on the couch next you.

Wren clambers onto your lap and leans over to look at Rosalie. He plants a hand on her shoulder to keep from falling, even though you would never let him fall.

"Did you really help build my room? Uncle Em said that you did," he asked quietly.

Rose smiled at the boy, and leaned in really close, as if she was going to tell some big secret. "I did, and so did Alice and your grandma."

"Really?" he asked, looking over at the other two women, who nodded their heads.

"Let's watch a movie!" Emmett called suddenly.

You roll your eyes, but tell him to pick one. Grabbing Wren you head toward the kitchen Alice, Rose and Esme following you all the way there. Esme shows you where everything is, because there was no food in the house the last time you where home. From the living room, you all hear Emmet shout, "What we having to watch a little kid movie?"

All four of you woman laugh, and Wren, though you know he didn't get the joke, laughs along.

"So, monster, what do you want to eat?"

"You call him Monster?" A voice says from the door, and you nearly fall over when you see him standing there. After your year absence from him, you can't even stand to look at him. Turning you grab Wren, and run up to lock yourself and him up in your room.

A soft tap on the door, let you know that Alice and Rose where standing outside. You murmured at them to come in.

They enter carrying food for Wren. You set him down on the bed that you had shared with Edward. It seemed like so long ago now.

"Who was that man, mommy?" Wren asked you quietly.

"He's-he," you don't know exactly what to tell the boy.

"He's my brother, but he hurt your mommy really bad once," Rose cut in.

"Are you okay mommy?" the little boy asked, grabbing a snack bar from Alice's hands and an apple from Rose's hand.

"I am now," you say looking down at him, but inside you know that's a lie.


End file.
